ARTICLES ABOUT GERY CHICO BY DATE - PAGE 2

Rahm Emanuel declared victory in the Chicago mayor's race tonight. "Thank you Chicago for this humbling victory," a smiling Emanuel told supporters. "All I can say, you sure know how to make a guy feel at home. " "It is easy to find differences, but we can never allow them to become divisions. Tonight we are moving forward in the only way we truly can. Together. As one city, with one future. " "It's you. It's the hard-working, plain-speaking folks who share a love for their city and a determination to keep it strong," he said.

It was fitting that Rahm Emanuel chose to quote former New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra during his closing remarks at Thursday night's final mayoral debate. "As Yogi Berra used to say," said Emanuel, "When you get to a fork in the road, take it. " The quote was similar to other quotes often attributed to Berra — "It's deja vu all over again," for example. "The game isn't over till it's over. " "You can observe a lot just by watching. " "A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore.

From church pulpits in Pullman to crowded restaurants in Pilsen to grocery stores in Portage Park, candidates for Chicago mayor scoured neighborhoods for votes wherever they could find them Sunday. It was the culmination of months of campaigning that began with a bang last fall when Mayor Richard Daley shocked the city by announcing he wasn't running for a record seventh term. Since then, the field has dwindled from 20 to the six hopefuls who spent the final weekend before Tuesday's election shaking hands, slapping backs and wooing voters with calls for better education, less crime and more jobs.

By Ray Gibson and David Kidwell, Tribune reporters | February 19, 2011

Mayoral hopeful Gery Chico has kept pace with front-running rival Rahm Emanuel in campaign fundraising since a new law banning the largest contributions took effect Jan. 1, according to disclosure reports. Chico has reported raising more than $1.1 million this year, while Emanuel has reported nearly $1.5 million, according to reports they filed through late last week. However, Emanuel's overall campaign fund — more than $8.3 million at the end of 2010 — still dwarfs that of Chico, his next-closest rival, who had more than $2 million to start the year.

Gery Chico discusses the Loop Theatre District, Millennium Park, Chicago’s music industry and the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs: The Loop theater district has become a massive economic generator and tourist attraction. What are your specific thoughts for building on this success? Do you see a need for new tax incentives? Chicago is a world-class city that serves residents and tourists alike. The art industry provides thousands of city jobs, while also generating city revenue.

So, whoopee, Gery Chico was brought up in The Back of the Yards neighborhood. He now lives in a luxury skyscraper condominium and has a $2 million home in Scottsdale and another vacation home somewhere else. And yet, he is blasting Rahm Emanuel for growing up in Wilmette. Well, I don't think it was Rahm's idea to grow up in Wilmette. He wasn't really old enough to make that decision. If Gery Chico is blasting Dr. & Mrs. Emanuel for moving to Wilmette why doesn't he say that? He just sounds petty.

By David Heinzmann and Rick Pearson, Tribune reporters | February 17, 2011

Gery Chico walks into the frigid workshop of a North Side green-energy startup company and looks over the half-built wind turbines and workers in coveralls toiling over them. He laments the scarcity of reporters in the room but eventually steps to the lectern and reels off about a dozen ideas for promoting such businesses and what they could do for Chicago: jobs, prestige, savings in the city budget. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is achievable. By practical actions," said Chico, who noted that at the park district, he switched the lawn mowers from gasoline to methane power.

Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday defended his use of recorded, Spanish-language phone calls ripping Gery Chico for an endorsement by an "anti-immigrant" tea party group, even though Chico has rejected the group's support. Chico described the robocalls to Chicago homes as a "dirty trick" by Emanuel, who is challenging Chico for key Latino votes with less than a week before Tuesday's election. "We have Mr. Emanuel dividing our community based on falsehood," Chico said, adding he has the support of numerous Latino leaders working on immigration issues.

I take issue to your editorial " Big moment for schools " (Feb. 14). First, Mayor Richard Daley has not improved the schools in the past 10 years. He has merely privatized 10 percent of the schools via charters, and those charters take the better students and winnow out the lesser students. Thus, the remaining schools (select and magnet schools excepted) look bad. Second, he has defunded the schools by taking $250 million per year by using Tax Increment Financing. Third, there has been no professional experienced superintendent of schools in over 15 years.

In case of emergency When I was teaching, I used to ask my students what they would do if they needed emergency surgery. Would they want the nicest doctor? The fastest? The best? I always received some real eye-opening answers to that one. So, in the same vein, since the city of Chicago is sick, I've evaluated the doctors who say they are the ones to operate. Rahm Emanuel: Smart. Experienced in handling a crisis. Proven track record. Tough and unflinching. All business.